A Place for Us
by crazybeef
Summary: Three best friends together forever. Death can't tear them apart.


Hey guys! First off, I want to say that I'm so so so sorry that I haven't updated my other story in like a year. I'm so sorry. I got major laziness with that one. I promise though that I will light a fire under my tushie and get another chapter written. I know exactly where I'm gonna take it, I'm just not quite sure how to write it. But I will, I promise.   
  
Second, I started writing this story a few weeks before the finale, but I had heard some spoilers about what would happen. I knew, however, that Xander didn't die in the finale. But for this story, let's just assume he did. I also left out some characters from this, like Anya, Kennedy, and Spike. At first I felt kinda bad, like I knew I should write them in somehow, but I just decided not to. This story is just about Buffy, Xander, and Willow, and I didn't need them to tell this story. I wanted to keep the story simple. Okay, hope you like, please review, don't own anything. "Somewhere" is a song from Westside Story. I think it's by Bernstein. That about covers it. Happy reading!  
  
**  
  
A Place for Us  
  
There's a place for us.  
  
Somewhere a place for us.   
  
Peace and quiet and open air.   
  
Wait for us  
  
Somewhere.  
  
***  
  
'This isn't fair' was the last coherent thought that ran through Buffy's head as she passed from the world. Life wasn't fair. She'd fought and fought and fought until there was no more fight left in her. She'd fought for the good of the world. And how did it all end? Lying in the wreckage of your average car accident.  
  
This isn't how it was supposed to end. Even though she hadn't had powers in about fifteen years, she had never let go of the thought that she would go out fighting. Heroically.  
  
They did though.  
  
In the final battle, what seemed so far away now, Xander left. The warm, throbbing heart of their family died for them and the whole world. And, like Buffy always knew he would, he went out with a joke and a smile.  
  
"I always dreamed of looking up and seeing you on top of me." A pained but genuine grin worked it's way to his lips. Buffy felt her stomach drop to her knees when she saw a drop of blood slip out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
Buffy gripped Xander's hand and stroked his soft hair. "Does it hurt?" she asked, almost at a whisper.  
  
He shook his head weakly. "Not too much," he lied.  
  
"It'll be okay," Buffy said, knowing full well that it wasn't and that Xander also didn't believe it.  
  
But he didn't care. "I know."  
  
  
  
"You were brave, Xander."  
  
"No. I wasn't brave. I tried, but… I'll never be like you."  
  
Buffy laughed slightly passed the lump in her throat. "Oh God! Let's hope not."  
  
"No." Xaner lifted his trembling hand and touched her face. "You're still my hero."  
  
Buffy smiled. Even at death's door, Xander could still cheer her up. He had charisma leaking out of his ass.  
  
"How's Will?"  
  
Buffy looked over to her left, where Willow was sprawled out on the ground. "She's okay. She's still unconscious, but she's gonna be alright."  
  
Xander breathed a shaky sigh of relief. "Good." His eyes suddenly brightened. "Remember when you me and Wills watched 'Ghost' at my place in like, the eleventh grade?"  
  
Buffy laughed at the random memory, wondering what made him think of it. "You mean when me and Willow bawled our eyes out while you sat there complaining about how lame the ending was?"  
  
"Hey, I had to act that way. It would have destroyed my manly mojo if I'd cried. It wasn't really that bad."  
  
"Aha! I knew it. I always knew you were crying on the inside."  
  
"Damn. You got me. Hey! Maybe I'll turn into a sexy Patrick Swayze-like ghost. If you ever find yourself at a pottery wheel…"  
  
Buffy looked at his face, absorbing every line and shading, locking them away in her mind before they were gone.  
  
***  
  
'We're your bosom friends. Friends of your bosom.'  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Are you scared?"  
  
Xander looked at her and smiled. "Of course I am. But I figure, this way I'll never have to listen to Andrew's whining. Don't let him die for a very long time! I don't want to have to listen to him complaining about how he didn't live to see the third Star Wars prequel for all eternity.'  
  
"Tell Giles that I love him. He's the only father I've ever really had."   
  
Xander's eyes started to close as he slipped away from her.  
  
  
  
"And make sure you tell Willow… tell her thank you. For always being… everything. She knows how much I love her."  
  
  
  
Buffy nodded and her long restrained tears fell. "And I love you. I love you so much." She kissed his forehead desperately.  
  
  
  
Xander gave her hand one last squeeze. "Ditto."  
  
***  
  
There's a place for us.  
  
A time and place for us.  
  
Time together with time to spare.  
  
Time to learn, time to share.  
  
  
  
Willow shook as the unrestrained magicks coursed through her body. Hot tears spilled from her eyes and ran down a stream on her face.  
  
  
  
Buffy held her to her chest, crying desperate tears into her long red hair.  
  
  
  
"Shhh. It'll be okay Will."  
  
  
  
"I'm gonna die Buffy! I can't believe I'm gonna die! After all this!"  
  
  
  
Buffy kissed her forehead. The spell Willow had done, the potent, powerful spell Willow had done in hopes of saving them, had worked. But it was too much for Willow to handle.  
  
  
  
"T-the magicks are s-still…" She closed her eyes as she shook, "still wo-working their way out of me."  
  
  
  
Her eyes shot open, and they were completely clear. Resolve face. "I'm gonna die," she said with certainty.  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head frantically. She squeezed her friend's trembling body close to her. "No! N-No, you might-"  
  
  
  
"It's okay. I'm ready." Her voice was calm, and accepting.   
  
  
  
Buffy looked up at Giles. He was sitting in front of her with his hand held tightly in Willow's. Tears were running steadily down his face, but he was gazing down at Willow with a sad smile that shone with respect and love.  
  
  
  
***  
  
'Willow, right?'  
  
  
  
'Why? I mean 'hi'! Did you want me to move?'  
  
***  
  
  
  
Buffy gazed down at Willow who was suddenly calm, and quiet, and drifting away.  
  
  
  
Buffy dropped her head until her forehead was touching Willow's. She said quietly, "Say 'hi' to Xander for me."  
  
  
  
Willow smiled her special smile, and her big eyes lit up. "Xander!" she sighed with a gush of emotion, and she was gone.   
  
Somehow.  
  
Someday.  
  
We'll find a new way of living.  
  
We'll find a way of forgiving.   
  
Somewhere.   
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
She recognized this place.  
  
  
  
Loud, harsh music. Rough chords and scratchy vocals.  
  
  
  
Bodies, hot and sweaty, squeezed up against each other.   
  
  
  
The Bronze.  
  
  
  
It was wonderful.  
  
  
  
Music.  
  
  
  
She knew that song.  
  
  
  
That voice.  
  
  
  
Devon.  
  
  
  
She looked up and her eyes stopped on Oz. Strawberry blond, with a soft hint of blue gradually fading away. Playing his guitar with his casual uncertainty.  
  
  
  
She glanced around the Bronze, realizing that it was the original. Back before it was remodled. Not as flashy, or…clean.  
  
  
  
No, it was cozy and warm and familiar.  
  
  
  
She saw some people she knew, from high school, mostly. Some from college.  
  
  
  
A large, cool hand wrapped around hers. She turned around and found herself looking up into a pair of deep brown piercing eyes.  
  
  
  
"Hey Buffy."  
  
  
  
"Angel," Buffy breathed. He was handsome, exactly the way she remembered him. Mysterious, like he was when they first met. Only calmer. Happier. Less broody.  
  
  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
  
  
Angel grinned. "I'm here to see you, of course."  
  
  
  
Buffy just looked at him.   
  
  
  
"I'm gonna get something to drink. You want?"  
  
  
  
Buffy shook her head to clear the fuzziness. "Uh… yeah. Sure."  
  
  
  
Buffy stared at his back as he walked away. When he was out of sight, she sighed and glanced around the room. Angel was there. Things couldn't be-  
  
***  
  
  
  
Giles wiped a tear from his eye as he placed one white rose in each vase at the three graves. His heart felt squashed and twisted since Buffy's death. But when he looked at the graves of his younger friends, he had to feel she was free, and no longer lonely.  
  
  
  
His eyes lingered on each headstone, reading the inscriptions, and remembering what each of his children had taught him. They taught him to smile, and to laugh, and to keep fighting for the people that matter. Because that's what they always did, up until the day they died.  
  
  
  
Giles' tears were coming faster and harder as he thought of Willow's voice, and Xander's laugh, and Buffy's smile. His tears fell to the ground by his shoes, until Dawn, his only family left, took his hand in hers and led him away.  
  
  
  
***  
  
There's a place for us.  
  
Somewhere a place for us.  
  
Hold my hand and we're halfway there.  
  
Hold my hand and I'll take you there.  
  
  
  
They were there. Both of them. Sitting at a table near the stage. Laughing, tickling each other. Eyes sparkling with innocence and happiness.  
  
  
  
Willow, her hair long and flowing. A bright, multi-colored skirt over a pair of orange tights. A yellow sweater and yellow Adidas on her feet. Xander with longish hair, covering his ears. Two, count 'em, two deep brown eyes above his million-dollar smile.   
  
  
  
Xander's wonderful, incredible eyes caught Buffy's. His smile broadened and he waved his hand.  
  
  
  
"Hey Buffy! Over here!"  
  
  
  
Buffy grinned uncontrollably at the sight of her best friends. She walked to their table as fast as she could without breaking into a run and drawing attention to herself. Xander kicked a chair out from the table with his foot.  
  
  
  
"God, it's about time! Sit here."  
  
  
  
Buffy sat down and just gazed in wonderment at the two of them. They were perfect, and they were hers forever now.  
  
  
  
"How long have you guys been here?" She asked them once she found her voice.  
  
  
  
"A while," Willow said.  
  
  
  
"Giles should be along shortly. Not too long now," Xander added, and Buffy understood.  
  
  
  
"Aren't Dingoes great tonight?" Willow shouted, almost hopping out of her chair and spilling her coke. "Oz looks great."  
  
  
  
"Yeah," Buffy said, "It's great."  
  
  
  
And she smiled. And smiled. And smiled. And she never stopped smiling, ever. She knew there was a place for them, somewhere. 


End file.
